When the Rangers drafted a speedy kid out of Boston College with their first round pick in 2009, we all envisioned him scoring goals like this…

But one thing we did not expect from Chirs Kreider was this…

Ever since being recalled from Hartford at the end of October, Kreider has been playing with an edge and aggressiveness that we hadn't seen in previous stints with the Rangers. Not even during his magical playoff run in 2012.

And that new found style has been a catalyst for his offense which has become more consistent and dynamic than at any other point during his brief NHL career…

"It's definitely something I'm focusing on doing more of," Krieder said of his toughness after Saturday night's Rangers victory in Toronto. "There's obviously not a lot of space out there, so the more you can get a bump on a guy the better."

He's also been displaying a little Sean Avery on the ice as he's found himself in the middle of his fair share of post whistle scrums and can often be seen chirping opponents the way he did with Phaneuf Saturday night.

…it seems as though Kreider needs that emotion and anger to step up his game. Just look at his best performance this season. A hat trick against the John Tortorella led Canucks. A coincidence? I think not. Then Saturday night, he busts out that ridiculous breakaway goal literally seconds after getting into a verbal sparing match with Phaneuf. He's sort of like Adam Sandler in "The Waterboy." Wonder if he's using "tackling fuel"…

Kreider also feels a key to his increased offense this season has been his willingness to go to the net…

"It's something I'm trying to focus on. Not pulling up and taking a wrist shot, but trying to take it across the cage and get it to the pipe."